Improvement in the construction of doors



w. w.:. TOUSSAINT. Construction of Doors.

No. 140,799, PatentedJuly15J873.

UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

WVINAND W. J. TOUSSAINT, OF BOSTON, MASSACHUSETTS.

IMPROVEMENT IN THE CONSTRUCTION OF DOORS.

, Specification forming part of Letters Patent No. 140,799, dated July 15, 1873; application filed May 14, 1873.

To all whom it may concern- Be it known that I, VVINAND W. J. TOUS- SAINT, of Boston, in the county of Suffolk and State of Massachusetts, have invented certain Improvements in the Construction of Doors, of which the following is a full, clear, and exact description, reference being had to the accompanying drawings making part of this specification, in which-- Figure 1 is a perspective view of a portion of a door constructed in accordance with my invention. Fig. 2 is a horizontal section through the same. Fig. 3 is a vertical section. Fig. 4. is a horizontal section representing a modification.

In the ordinary method of constructing doors the panel is first placed within a groove in the frame, and then the separate strips of molding properly mitered or fastened in place by brads, glue, screws, or otherwise, the molding of each panel requiring to be mitered at eight points, viz., on each side of the four corners of the panel, which method is objectionable, not only on account of the time and labor required in the operation, but. the parts, being rigidly secured in place, are liable to warp and shrink, and are frequently split and cracked, so as to injure the finished appearance of the door.

My invention has for its purpose to overcome these objections; and consists in a molding extending through from one side of a door to the other side, and provided with a groove at its inner surface for the reception of the panel, which it incloses, or with one or more grooves or projections for holding another molding; and provided with one or more grooves or projections at its outer surface for securing it to the door, the molding on each side of each edge of the panel being formed in one and the same piece, or of two or more separate pieces previously united, whereby but four lniters are required, instead of eight miters for each panel, as heretofore; and I am thus enabled to dispense with the use of brads or screws ordinarily employed, the portions of a door so constructed not being liable to shrink, warp, or separate, and permanently preserving the finished appearance originally given thereto.

To enable others skilled in the art to understand and use my invention, I will proceed to describe the manner in which I have carried it out.

In the said drawings, A represents a portion of the stile of a door, and B a portion of its lower bar united together in a well-known manner. The stile and the bar are each provided with a rectangular groove, a, for the reception of a correspondingly-shaped projection or tongue, b, formed on the outer surface of each strip 0 of the molding G, the four sides or strips 0 composing which are exactly fitted or mitered and united together at their corners by glue or otherwise, being additionally stayed and strengthened by a block or piece, d,'of wood, having the direction of its grain different from either of the two strips of molding so united, whereby the tendency of the parts to separateis counteracted, and cracks in the molding avoided. Each portion or length of the molding, covering both sides of each edge of a panel, D, is formed in one and the same piece, or of two or more pieces united together previous to being mitered, instead of two separate pieces-one in front and one at the back, mitered independently of each other,

by means of which but four miters are required, instead of eight miters, as heretofore, and the employment of brads, screws, &c., is rendered unnecessary. By thus making the front and back of each side or strip of the molding in one piece, or of two or more pieces united before they are mitered together, I am enabled to form a groove, 0, therein for the reception of the panel D, instead of placing the panel within a groove in the door-frame, as heretofore; and where an orname'ntal'door of unusual thickness is desired a series of moldings surrounding a panel may be constructed by simply multiplying the number of the tongues and grooves of the door-frame and molding, as seen in Fig. 4.

Instead of a groove being formed in the door for the reception of a projection on the molding the door may be provided with a projection to fit into a groove in the molding; and my invention may be applied to the construction of picture or other frames than doors, where ornamental moldings are required, without departing from the spirit of my invention.

What I claim as my invention, and desire to secure by Letters Patent, is-

A molding, extending through from one side of a door to the other side, and provided with a groove at its inner surface for the reception of the panel which it incloses, or with one or more grooves or projections for holding another molding, and provided with one or more grooves or projections at its outer surface for securing it to the door, each portion of the molding being formed of a single piece, or of two or more pieces previously united, substantially as and for the purpose set forth.

Witness my hand this 5th day of May, 1873.

WINAND W. J. TOUSSAINT.

In presence of- N. W. STEARNS, W. J. CAMBRIDGE. 

